Healthy teeth and gums are in important part of an overall healthy body. Dirty teeth act as a magnet for bacteria and infection, and gum disease can allow these bacteria to enter the bloodstream and the body, causing serious health issues.

There are three important steps for healthy teeth and gums - a healthy diet, at-home dental care and a regular veterinary check-up.

A healthy diet generally includes dry pet food to encourage chewing and help keep the teeth tartar free. In some cases your pet may benefit from a special dental dog food such as Hills T/D or Royal Canin Oral Care that is formulated to provide extra dental cleaning.

At-home dental care includes giving your dog or cat dental treats, rawhide chewing strips, chew toys or raw bones to encourage chewing and help keep teeth and gums healthy. Many animals will also benefit from having their teeth brushed, although some pets may not take too kindly to teeth brushing.

During your pet's veterinary examination at East Island Animal Hospital, our vets will carefully check the teeth and gums, looking for any signs or tartar, decay and cavities. If there are any problems we can work with you to determine a solution such as at-home dental cleaning, special diets and in-hospital teeth cleaning and ultrasonic scaling. This dental check is included with every yearly examination and vaccination. Signs that your pet may have dental issues include not chewing food, drooling, rubbing the mouth or crying while eating. Please let us know if you see any of these signs.